In the 2025 global EV sales race—where BYD claimed the top spot with 2.26 million units—Tesla's deliveries fell 8.5% to a precise 1,636,129 vehicles, with production down 6.7%. Q4 figures missed lowered expectations, revealing stark European drops amid competition and policy headwinds, though Norway bucked the trend.
Tesla's 2025 global deliveries totaled 1,636,129 electric vehicles, down 8.5% from 2024, while production declined 6.7%. Q4 deliveries dropped 16% year-over-year to 418,227 units (production: 434,358, -5.4%), falling short of analyst forecasts around 422,850.
BYD's 2.26 million sales reflected 28% market growth, with December alone nearly matching Tesla's entire Q4 volume.
Contributing factors included the US $7,500 tax credit phase-out, fierce rivalry from Chinese/European makers, and backlash over Elon Musk's political stances. Europe saw dramatic slumps: France registered just 1,942 Teslas in December (-66%), Sweden -71%, Spain -4%. Norway diverged positively with 5,679 registrations (+90%), where EVs comprise 96% of new car sales.
Tesla responded in October with $5,000-cheaper base Model Y and Model 3 variants. Despite results, shares climbed 11.4% for the year, and Musk regained his status as the world's richest person.